Conservation Activity Plans (CAPS)

FY 2015 EQIP Conservation Activity Plan (CAP)

What Is A Conservation Activity Plan?

A Conservation Activity Plan (CAP) can be developed for producers to identify conservation practices needed to address a specific natural resource need. Typically, these plans are specific to certain kinds of land use such as:

transitioning to organic operations

grazing land

forest land

A CAP can also address a specific resource need, such as a nutrient management or herbicide resistance issue. With a CAP plan, producers may apply for financial assistance to implement the needed conservation practices.

What Authority Does NRCS Have For CAPs?

Farm Bill legislation provides NRCS the authority to use financial assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for practice payments to develop plans appropriate for the eligible land of a program participant. The Act specifically authorizes EQIP to be used for comprehensive nutrient management plans and other plans that further the purposes of the program. The conservation practice associated with plan development under this authority is known as a Conservation Activity Plan, or CAP.

How Do CAP Costs and Payments Work?

The Farm Bill statute allows EQIP payments based upon the estimated incurred cost of practice implementation, which for a CAP will be the labor costs typically associated with development of a plan that meets agency standards and requirements.

The payment is increased for qualifying historically underserved producers.

Producers should check with their local NRCS office to find out which CAPs are offered in their state; each state may support only specific CAPs. The list of nationally approved CAP practices can be downloaded from the Fiscal Year 2015 CAP Resources section below.

Eligible producers may apply at their local NRCS office. EQIP payments are made directly to program participants for development of a CAP. These CAP plans may only be developed by an NRCS-certified Technical Service Provider (TSP). Although NRCS personnel are prohibited from developing CAPs, they can assist with the development of conservation plans to address identified resource concerns.

What Technical Requirements Do CAPs Have?

Technical requirements and planning criteria for each CAP are listed in each State's Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG). and in the CAP planning criteria available for download on in the NRCS Technical Guidance Bulletin section below. This information includes the details of what must be included in each kind of CAP approved for support through EQIP.

Detailed technical information should be located in Section III of each state's FOTG.

How Do I Apply For A CAP?

However, NRCS establishes application cut-off or submission deadline dates for evaluation and ranking of eligible applications.

If the property you wish to enroll in EQIP is not located in Connecticut: Click on Show State Offices (below) to see a list of all NRCS state office websites. Choose the state where the property is located. The link will take you to that state's EQIP page.The state's EQIP page includes application ranking criteria, priority resource concerns, lists of eligible practices, payment rates, information about where you can submit applications, eligibility requirements and other program requirements.

A comprehensive nutrient management plan (CNMP) is a conservation plan for an animal feeding operation (AFO). It documents how nutrients and contaminants will be managed in the production and land treatment areas of the farm to protect animal health, human health and the environment.

A nutrient management plan is a document of record of how nutrients will be managed for plant production and to address the environmental concerns related to the offsite movement of nutrients from agricultural fields.

A forest management plan is a site-specific plan developed for a client, which addresses one or more resource concerns on land where forestry-related conservation activities or practices will be planned and applied.

A feed management plan is a farm-specific plan developed for a client, to document control of the quantity and quality of available nutrients, feedstuffs, and/or additives fed to livestock and poultry.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an ecosystem-based, sustainable approach to manage pests. It uses a combination of techniques such as chemical tools biological control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices and use of resistant varieties of cultivars.

Irrigation Water Management (IWM) controls the volume, frequency, and rate of water for efficient irrigation. Measuring soil moisture, water use by plants and climate help decide when to irrigate, and how much water to apply.

An Agricultural Energy Management Plan- Headquarters (AgEMP) is a detailed documentation of energy consuming components and practices of the current operation, the previous year’s on-farm energy consumption, and the strategy by which the producer will explore and address their on-farm energy conservation concerns, objectives, and opportunities.

Drainage Water Management (DWM) controls soil water table elevations and the timing of water discharges from subsurface or surface agricultural drainage systems. giving the opportunity for crop use of the subsurface water and nutrients.

A “Conservation Plan Supporting Organic Transition” is a conservation activity plan documenting decisions by producers/growers who agree to implement a system of conservation practices which assist the producer to transition from conventional farming or ranching systems to an organic production system.

A fish and wildlife habitat plan is a site specific plan developed with a client who is ready to plan and implement conservation activities or practices with consideration for fish and wildlife habitat.

A pollinator habitat enhancement plan is a site-specific conservation plan developed for a client that addresses the improvement, restoration, enhancement, expansion of flower-rich habitat that supports native and/or managed pollinators.

Previous CAP Resources

What are the payment rates and terms?

Program payment rates for CAPs are calculated to be approximately 75% of the typical cost of plan preparation by an approved Technical Service Provider. If the applicant is a beginning farmer, socially disadvantaged, or limited resource producer (all considered historically underserved categories), the rates are 90%. Payments are made after the CAP is submitted to NRCS for review.

Contracts are subject to payment limitations. No applicant may receive more than $300,000 during any 6-year period. Organic farms have a limitation of $80,000 during any 6-year period with an annual limit of $20,000.